Opportunity knocks on Peterson's door

Adrian Peterson started to see the difference between satisfaction and being satisfied Sunday when a little bit of one made him realize how far he is from the other.

Peterson had his best day as a professional last week.

It wasn't one of those Georgia Southern games, when Peterson was always the best player on the field and seemed to run as long as he wanted to. But it was 120 yards and a touchdown against an NFL defense, albeit the worst in the NFC. It also was more than a half as the Bears' primary running back with Peterson delivering as if he was made for the position.

What it wasn't, he says, is everything he has to offer.

"I've been waiting for that for a while," Peterson said of his career highs in carries and yards Sunday against San Francisco. "It was good to step in and step up."

Peterson's big step was good for his team and himself.

With starter Thomas Jones out because of a rib injury and rookie Cedric Benson being taken from the field with a sprained knee in the second quarter, Peterson was suddenly Chicago's only available tailback.

He followed with a performance that was as impressive as it was spontaneous, coming off the bench to be the game's leading rusher. He had all but five of his 24 carries after Benson was hurt and gained 92 yards in the second half alone. He also scored the only touchdown by either offense, helping the Bears maintain their two-game lead in the NFC North with a 17-9 win.

By the end of the day, he also had a new career highlight, easily exceeding the touchdown against the Jets as a rookie that Peterson had previously called his finest NFL moment.

Realistically, he had more productive quarters at GSU, where he was the NCAA's all-time leading rusher. But he had not had the opportunity to be his team's top back as a pro, to build from one carry to the next the way he did in college, during the first three and a half seasons of an NFL career spent largely on special teams.

He just never complained about that, which might say more about Peterson than his 6,543 yards at GSU.

Eagle players always said he was a good teammate when he was the star of the team. Turns out, he's even better to have around when his role is more limited and less defined.

"When you're number's called," said Peterson, "you've got to step in and keep it rolling."

But now he could have a chance to get on a roll of his own.

Benson is expected to miss between four and six games. And, although Jones returns this week against Carolina, Peterson could become a bigger part of the offense than he's been so far in Chicago.

In the last two games, he has gained 178 yards, which is only 12 fewer than he totaled in his first three seasons. He's also scored two touchdowns, which is twice his previous career total.

And after Sunday he has more proof than ever that he can play running back in the NFL, that he can take the ball all game and gain yards even when a defense is crowding the line of scrimmage, as the 49ers did on almost every play last week.

But that thought didn't just emerge for Peterson, who still imagines himself becoming a No. 1 back in the NFL.

"I have confidence in myself," he says. "I'd have confidence in myself even if I didn't do what I did Sunday. The way it is in this league, you have to keep yourself ready and make an impression when you get the chance."

Peterson's best chance yet arrived Sunday.

And he might have earned a few more considering what he did with the one he was given Sunday. If so, the Bears or another team in need of a running back should soon notice what Peterson is still capable of.

And then some day he might even get enough carries to run all the way to satisfaction.